Hanging up the phone, Uesugi Kazuki stepped out of the telephone booth and watched as the men in black suits dispersed around the school gate.
Just as he was thinking about where to get a shopping bag or buy some stockings, to keep his hero style consistent.
He happened to hear the familiar voices of two "go-home club" members passing by him.
"Did you buy the new belt? Want to trade it for my mask and play?"
Uesugi Kazuki instantly understood.
That's right, I'm in Japan!
Why bother buying stockings or getting a shopping bag? I'm not in America and this is definitely not New York.
So, Uesugi Kazuki walked into a general store not far from the school gate.
Soon, Uesugi Kazuki, carrying a shopping bag, returned to the telephone booth, but this time he wasn't there to make a call.
He was there to make a superhero-style entrance, yes you heard it right.
Fake superheroes crash through the road from the sky, causing trouble for municipal engineering.
True superheroes launch from telephone booths, remembering to close the door behind them when they leave.
Knowing how a true hero acts, Uesugi Kazuki certainly wouldn't make the wrong choice and trouble the city.
And to prevent his act of heroism from turning into disorderly conduct, Uesugi Kazuki, after changing, still observed from within the telephone booth.
Not long after, Akichi Aya walked out of school.
Seeing Akichi Aya emerge, her mother immediately ran to her.
She grabbed Akichi Aya's hand, trying to say something, but as soon as she held it, Akichi Aya pulled her hand away, seemingly scolding her mother for a few words before continuing to walk forward.
On the surface, it looked like a normal interaction between an ordinary mother and a rebellious teenager, if one disregarded the black commercial van slowly following behind them.
Akichi Aya, whose attention was caught by her mother, distracted clearly didn't notice the black commercial van slowly approaching behind her. She just walked forward with her head down with cold expression completely unwilling to engage with her mother.
When the black commercial van got close, its door suddenly slid open, preparing to abduct Akichi Aya.
Perhaps because the sound of the door opening was too loud, Akichi Aya noticed the commercial van beside her and immediately dodged away from the road, causing the attackers from the black commercial van to miss.
But Akichi Aya hadn't run more than a few steps when she found herself suddenly surrounded by a group of men in black suits, who were closing in on her.
And Akichi Aya's mother tightly gripped Akichi Aya's hand, making it impossible for Akichi Aya to run away.
Although Akichi Aya cried out for help, the surrounding students and passersby all shied away.
Apart from some smartphone owners who pulled out their phones and started recording, no one took further action.
However, saying that no one took further action wouldn't be entirely accurate, because just as everyone's attention was focused on the mother forcibly pulling her rebellious daughter,
The situation changed once again.
With a shout of "All evil shall be brought to justice! Masked Bicycle Rider, here I come!"
The distinguished smartphone owners wondered if they had inadvertently stumbled upon the filming set of some tokusatsu show.
Because at that moment, a young man wearing an Ultraman mask, a Kamen Rider-style belt, carrying a wooden sword that resembled the Yamato, and with a blue cape on his back that read 'THE BOY,' charged towards the men in black suits.
Coupled with the young man's incredibly dramatic declaration, these people began searching for where the cameras were hidden nearby.
And they were already prepared to sign portrait rights usage agreements.
After all, according to Japanese privacy laws, one's face cannot appear in photos or videos without their personal consent.
In other situations, if one were accidentally filmed, paying a sum of money would resolve the issue.
But if it was a tokusatsu film... who would refuse to appear in it?
As the young man approached the men in black suits, the ordinary bystanders became even more convinced.
This must be a tokusatsu film being shot. After all, for this young man to attack these adults with the wooden Yamato sword in his hand, even if he aimed for vital points, he wouldn't knock someone down with just one hit, would he?
That's right! This must be a tokusatsu film!
Japanese people or specifically city people often mistook alot of things that way, and who could blame them.
The actors are putting in a lot of effort. Except for the lead actor's outfit, which looks incredibly mismatched, the other actors' performances are brilliant. They look genuinely beaten up.
Great! Can't wait for this tokusatsu film to be released!
Uesugi Kazuki, who had just dealt with a group of men in black suits, had no idea that the surrounding onlookers thought he was filming a tokusatsu show.
At this moment, Uesugi Kazuki was marveling at how wise a decision it was to buy a mask and wear it.
However, the wooden sword sold at this general store was truly just for show; it broke after only two swings.
Fortunately, these men in black suits were carrying collapsible batons, so at least he wouldn't have to fight them bare-handed.
Swinging the collapsible baton in his hand, Uesugi Kazuki knocked down the last man in black who stood in his way and then approached Akichi Aya and her mother.
As he raised the collapsible baton, Akichi Aya's mother screamed and released Akichi Aya's hand.
Such a decisive choice made Uesugi Kazuki scratch his head awkwardly with the head of the baton in the hand he had just raised.
Looking at Akichi Aya, who was standing somewhat dazed, Uesugi Kazuki extended his hand to her.
Seeing Uesugi Kazuki's outstretched hand, Akichi Aya took it.
After gripping Akichi Aya's hand, Uesugi Kazuki pulled Akichi Aya and turned to run.
After all, knocking down so many men in black suits right outside a school would surely attract the police's attention.
As a 'Masked Bicycle Rider' out of personal interest, Uesugi Kazuki currently had no plans to earn achievements at the police station.
Just as Uesugi Kazuki had run a few steps,
Akichi Aya's mother wailed behind them as if she had lost a parent, "Aya!!! Are you rejecting happiness?!! What more do you want me to do!! What more do you want your mother to do!!!"
Hearing her mother's desperate cry, Akichi Aya's steps almost faltered.
But Uesugi Kazuki, holding her hand, dragged her along, forcing her to follow him in a mad dash.
After running into a nearby alley, they sprinted through several more, finally stopping in a deserted back alley.
Uesugi Kazuki, who had been running non-stop, finally halted, released Akichi Aya's hand, and leaned on his knees, gasping for breath.
Even the enhanced Uesugi Kazuki was exhausted; Akichi Aya naturally wasn't faring any better.
As she bent over, leaning on her knees and panting, sweat continuously dripped from her forehead.
Uesugi Kazuki, who recovered his breath first, straightened up. Looking at the sweating Akichi Aya, he reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a pack of tissues and offered them to Akichi Aya.
Seeing the tissues offered by the 'Masked Bicycle Rider,' Akichi Aya pushed his hand away.
After straightening up, she looked into the 'Masked Bicycle Rider's' eyes through his mask and asked, "Uesugi-kun, why did you help me?"
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Tokusatsu (特撮, literally "special filming") is a Japanese term for live-action films and television programs that heavily feature practical special effects. It's a popular form of Japanese entertainment, especially known for giant monsters, robots, and costumed heroes.
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